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Else Maria Knudsdatter (1820-1866)
}} Biography Childhood & Birth Else (pronounced Elsa) was born in the village of Bederslev, Odense Province, Denmark. Bederslev is located on the island of Fynn. The cleric at the local Lutheran church kept accurate records of her birth, christening, and confirmation at age 14. It is recorded that her father died in 1841 and mother died in 1848, leaving her and her siblings orphans. Migration to America In 1851-1852, Mormon missionaries came from America and taught Else and her family the restored gospel. She was baptized into the LDS Church on 14 Mary 1852. Three siblings joined her in the church, Caroline, Jorgen, and Kirstin, and they attended the Copenhagen LDS Branch. These four children lived in poor circumstances, and would only have been able to sail to America with substantial financial assistance from other members and the church. But another scenario is that they inherited their parents farm and sold it to raise funds for themselves and others to travel. Jorgen went on to be a farmer at his new home. Else Maria had two younger siblings (Jorgen and Kirsten) that migrated from Denmark to America in the Hans Peter Olsen Company of 1854. Else Maria and her sister Caroline were part of the Secrist/Guyman Company of 1855. LDS Church pioneer company #97 - Jocab F. Secrist (2) (replaced by Noah T. Guyman after his death July 2) left Mormon Grove, Kan., (near Atchison, Kan.) 13 June with 368 people and 58 wagons, arrived 7 Sep. Roster, JH 12 Sep 1855: JH 7 Sep p.1-11. Else Maria and her sister Caroline are officially listed as members of this company. * LDS Pioneer Company List A number of souls in their party died from cholera and other complications during the voyage. Utah Family Life Elsa Maria married and had two children, both born in East Weber, Utah. Their first son, John, died on his day of birth. Their child Betsy was orphained at age 6 and went to live with Jorgen Knudsen, a brother to Else Maria. She is listed with that family on the 1870 US Census. Betsy would later marry and have a great number of children of her own. Grafton Utah Grafton was settled in Dec 1859 by a group of Mormon Pioneers led by Nathan C Tenny. Due to common floods and indian attacks, the farming town never flourished. Its population peaked in 1864 (164) and was largely abandoned by the 1930s. Grafton is a ghost town, just south of Zion National Park in Washington County, Utah, United States. Said to be the most photographed ghost town in the West, it has been featured as a location in several films, including 1929's In Old Arizona—the first talkie filmed outdoors—and the classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The nearest inhabited town is Rockville. * Wikipedia Byrum's poor health caused them to move to Southern Utah and Washington County. This allowed for Else to be close to her brother Jorgen and his family. They would adopt Betsy two years later when Else passed away. Grave Marker Gravestones are no longer maintained at the Grafton Cemetery where Else Maria was buried in 1866. But she is listed on the bottom of large cemetery commemorative plague (showing cause of death as unknown). Source: Find A Grave. There are no records of her burial, but it is supposed that her brother saw to it that she was buried next to her husband in the Grafton Cemetery. Timeline * Dec 1854 : Sailed from Denmark to England * 1855-Jan-07 : Departed England on the ship James Nesmith with 441 souls. * 1855-Spring :Sailed up Mississippi River on steamship Oceana * 1855-Oct : Arrival in Utah and settled in Weber. * 1855 (?) : Still single at age 35, she marries Byrum Bybee as his second plural wife. * 1864 : Byrum and Else move to Washington Co * 1866 : Died in Washington Co, Utah Census Records Christening Records Source: Denmark Baptisms, 1618-1923 Name: Else Marie Knudsen / Female Christening Date : 24 Oct 1820 Christening Place: Bederslev, Odense, Denmark Father's Name: Knud Jorgensen Mother's Name: Ane Marie Andersdr Batch #: K20170-3 / Denmark-ODM #50322 References # Else Marie Knudsen Biography - This is a key document to clarify that Ana Sophia traveled in 1853, Jorgen and his sister Kirsten traveled in 1854 and Else Marie and Caroline came in 1855. Else had a child named Betsy that is found on the 1870 US Census living with uncle/aunt Jorgen and Ana Sophia in Washington UT. # Else Knudsen Genealogy - Ancestry chart for Else Knudsen - however, the identities of her paternal grandparents is in dispute. # Else Knudsen Biographies - Family data charts / photographs / histories # Kirsten Knudsen Biography - Brief family history with notes on her siblings that settled in Utah also. # Kirsten Knudsen History #2 - These histories vividly tell of the Knudsen Family coming to America one year later than the Forsgren Pioneer Company. # Xmission list of Scandinavian Pioneer Companies - Nielsens and Knudsens are listed with the 1853 company, but not 1854 company. Kirsten's history references the 1854 company.